Skip to content
REPORT (COM(2024)0030 – C90041/2024 – 2024/0049(BUD))

On the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the mobilisation of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers following an application from Germany – EGF/2023/003 DE/Vallourec

A-9-2024-0166

Committee on Budgets · Rapporteur: Jens Geier

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull textProcedure & committee votes
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution approves mobilising the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) for Germany after 1 518 redundancies at Vallourec Deutschland GmbH (VAD). It agrees Germany is entitled to EUR 2 984 627, which is 60 % of the total cost of EUR 4 974 379, and that 835 workers will be targeted beneficiaries. The personalised services include upskilling, guidance, job search assistance, business creation support and grants, incentives and a training allowance. It stresses the workers' skills do not match labour market demand and that up- and re-skilling is a challenge, and welcomes the Digital basic skills measure. It notes the eligibility periods for services and administrative expenditure, and that the eligible actions receive no other Union funding.

Committee position. The Committee on Budgets approves the decision to mobilise the EGF for Germany, agreeing that the conditions are met and that Germany is entitled to EUR 2 984 627, and calls for the assistance to focus on active labour market measures and personalised services.

Key points

  1. Parliament agrees with the Commission that the conditions in Article 4(2), point (a), of the EGF Regulation are met and that Germany is entitled to EUR 2 984 627.
  2. The contribution represents 60 % of the total cost of EUR 4 974 379, comprising EUR 4 783 057 for personalised services and EUR 191 322 for preparatory, management, information, publicity, control and reporting activities.
  3. The application relates to 1 518 workers made redundant at Vallourec Deutschland GmbH (VAD), of whom 835 will be targeted beneficiaries.
  4. The redundancies are expected to raise unemployment in Mülheim and Düsseldorf by 11,6 % and 5,6 % respectively.
  5. The displaced workers' profiles do not match job market demand; most are advanced in their careers, 20,1 % are over 54, and up- and re-skilling them is a challenge.
  6. Parliament considers it a Union social responsibility to give these workers qualifications for the ecological and just transformation, and welcomes the personalised services including upskilling, workshops, vocational orientation, job counselling and training allowances.
  7. The coordinated package of personalised services was drawn up by Germany with targeted beneficiaries, their representatives and social partners, and VAD negotiated a social plan and created a transfer company.
  8. The services consist of tailor-made training and retraining, occupational guidance, individual job-search assistance, targeted group activities, support and contributions to business creation, and incentives and allowances.
  9. Parliament strongly welcomes the Digital basic skills measure for participants with no or very little digital skills, who will receive laptops and training in internet tools for job search.
  10. Germany started providing personalised services on 1 December 2023, with EGF eligibility from that date until 24 months after the financing decision enters into force.
  11. Administrative expenditure started on 1 January 2023, and is eligible from that date until 31 months after the financing decision enters into force.
  12. Germany confirmed the eligible actions receive no other Union funds, equality of treatment and non-discrimination will be respected, and EGF assistance must not replace company responsibilities or workers' allowances or rights.

Who is affected

  • 835 targeted beneficiaries, workers made redundant by VAD, who will receive personalised services and allowances.
  • Germany, which submitted the application and is entitled to the EUR 2 984 627 contribution.
  • The cities of Mülheim and Düsseldorf, whose local economies and unemployment rates are expected to be affected.
  • Vallourec Deutschland GmbH (VAD), the company where the redundancies occurred and which set up a transfer company and social plan.

Figures and deadlines

  • 1 518 redundancies in the economic sector of manufacture of basic metals, within the reference period 26 April 2023 to 26 August 2023.
  • EUR 2 984 627 financial contribution from the EGF for Germany, representing 60 % of the total cost.
  • Total cost of EUR 4 974 379, comprising EUR 4 783 057 for personalised services and EUR 191 322 for other activities.
  • 835 workers will be targeted beneficiaries in total.
  • Unemployment rate expected to rise by 11,6 % in Mülheim and 5,6 % in Düsseldorf.
  • 20,1 % of the workers concerned are over 54 years of age.
  • Grants of up to EUR 21 871 for business creation investments, premises rent or further coaching or training.
  • Training allowance of EUR 1 296 paid during workers' stay in the transfer company.

Legal basis: Article 4(2), point (a), of Regulation (EU) 2021/691 on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers.